Vol 06 | Issue 04
Science, Art & Nashville From humble begeinnings to becoming a social standard, here’s how Nashville conquered the coffee scene
EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO MASTER THE AEROPRESS BREW METHOD BECOME A COFFEE TASTING EXPERT: THIS FLAVOR WHEEL MAKES IT EASY GET ACQUAINTED WITH COFFEE’S LESSER-KNOWN COUNTERPART: CASCARA $4.99 hydratemag.com
A Little Bit of Science, A Little Bit of Art, And A Whole Lot of Nashville Today coffee is more than just a drink, it’s a way of life, and one that connects us to other cultures and traditions. And it’s quickly become the standard in Nashville. Music City USA is now being recognized by another title – Coffee City USA.
06 Editor’s Letter
Acquired Taste: A reflection on coffee ritual and this issue
33 Health & Beauty
Kickstart your day with these caffeineinfused beauty hacks
14 On the Menu
48 Wellness
25 Tasty
62 Mix It Up
This month’s special: All things coffee
Reinventing the Wheel: A new way to taste and experience coffee
Hydrate » April 2021 | The Coffee Issue
Pick-Me-Up: The science behind your daily fix
Meet Cascara: The mysterious coffee fruit taking café culture by storm
In This Issue
True Stories from Uppers & Downers In its seventh consecuative year Uppers and Downers reminded us all why we call it one of the very best coffee beer festivals in the world.
Aeropress Decoded: How to Craft a Delicious Cup of Coffee Like A Pro Keisha DuBois takes you step-by-step through the process of brewing barista-level coffee in the comfort of your own home.
A Caffeinated Buyer’s Guide
Ready to invest in a barista worthy home set up? It may not be as expensive as you think! This guide will be your new best friend when shopping for home-roast and home-brew equipment.
What is Your Barista Really Thinking?
Ever wonder what goes through the mind of your barista? Is he judging you for ordering half-caf with skim? Is she silently cursing you out for making every modification possible to an already complicated drink? We got in the heads of some top barista’s to find out.
94 Spiked
Raise your glasses to these one-of-akind coffee cocktails
125 Editor’s Pick
Great coffee, where to get it, and a collection of favorites from the Editor
107 Vessel
136 Try Me
118 Around the World
143 Get Snacking
Ibrik: The Turkish Coffee Pot and other brewing methods
Welcome to the Bean Belt: Great coffee starts with great growing conditions
Thai Iced Coffee: Refreshingly different with cardamom and almond
Matches Made In Heaven: Find the perfect coffee-snack pair
Take A Sip
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF MANAGING DIRECTOR
Jacquelyn Valori Taylor Van Kooten
ART DIRECTOR
Casey Limper
COPY EDITORS
Emily Hartung Alissa Forcina Allison Landino
PHOTOGRAPHER
Brittney Nicholson
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Jessica Scillia Mounir Mulhem Joshua Leonard
CONTRIBUTING EDITORS
Amandalynn Hagele Mackenzie Delp
GRAPHIC DESIGNER
Andrew Cygan
STAFF ILLUSTRATOR
Christian Debuque
ADVERTISING SALES
Bryn O’Reilly Austin Haas Emily Schotter
CIRCULATION MANAGER
Josh Miller
EVENTS DIRECTOR
Karen Kresge
STUDIO ASSISTANT
Vicki Meloney
EDITORIAL INTERN
Dannell MacIlwraith
SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE PUBLISHER
Todd McFeely Riley Davenport
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Volume 06 | Issue 04 HYDRATE MAGAZINE HYDRATEMAG.COM hydrate
Hydrate march » April 2017 →2021 the coffee | Theissue Coffee Issue
444 W MAIN STREET KUTZTOWN, PA 19530
Editor’s Letter
A FEW WORDS ABOUT THE APRIL COFFEE ISSUE... I remember vividly the first time I sipped the dark and bitter poison. I was maybe 12, my family was gathered at my Uncle’s house for Thanksgiving dinner. We had just cleared the table for dessert, and my Aunt was making coffee. She surveyed the table for partakers, and I confidently asked for a cup. She and my mom laughed at me. You don’t drink coffee, and You aren’t going to like it; nevertheless, a full mug on a delicate saucer was placed in front of me… Needless to say, I took a single timid sip, scrunched my face beyond recognition, returned the mug to its saucer, and neglected it for the rest of the night. Maybe coffee is an acquired taste, maybe a love for coffee comes with necessity for its energizing, invigorating properties, or maybe that first cup was just really mediocre, haha. But fast-forward a few years to high school: coffee and I had reunited and were much more than acquaintances. Today I can’t image life without it. Some people rely on the daily dose of caffeine, but I fell in love with the ritual, the taste, and the craft. My day feels genuinely off balance if I skip my morning meditation over a steaming cup of java. My home seems cold and uninviting without the wafts of fresh ground coffee beans reclining leisurely in the air. For some reason coffee is like a right of passage; something that is impossible to enjoy when you are young but almost universally vital as an adult. Coffee now seems like a vehicle that drives social interaction. We catch up with old friends over coffee, we conduct business meetings in the local coffee shop, we share ideas and discuss the world between long sips, we even conduct our own rituals to prepare us for the day. There is something so simply blissful about the smell of coffee on a crisp morning or a warm mug in your hands. It’s easy to overlook the beauty and complexities of coffee when you aren’t aquainted with all the parts that make it up. Just like any issue, I hope this is a learning experience for you. I hope you are intrigued, delighted, and inspired by the contents of these pages. We have carefully compiled this issue so that no matter if you are a seasoned coffee connoisseur or just discovering your interest, you will find all the information, recipes, and tips you need to quench the coffee lover in you. » Drink up, Hydrate Magazine Editor in Chief, Jackie Valori, enjoying her morning coffee at a local cafe. Photography by Taylor Van Kooten
Jackie Valori Editor In Chief
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Hydrate » April 2021 | The Coffee Issue
Tasty
A NEW WAY TO TASTE AND EXPERIENCE COFFEE BY GARRETT ODEN Tasting subtle flavors in our food is not something we learn to do as children when we’re stuffing our faces with fast food and french fries. Enchiladas taste like enchiladas and steak tastes like steak, that’s how many of us are taught to understand flavor. The idea of coffee tasting like anything other than coffee, especially raspberries or chocolate or flowers, is outlandish according to the tasting model we adapt at a young age. There has always been a struggle between those who simplify taste and those who complicate it. One side believes the other has a wild imagination, while that side believes the other is narrow-minded. New leaps into sensory science are giving researchers and ordinary people the ability to understand the things they eat and drink on a deeper level, and the gap between the flavor ideologies is closing. The items on the flavor wheel are not grabbed out of thin air or wishful thinking. They are documented flavors that can be identified by coffee professionals and sensory scientists. To use this powerful tool, brew some fresh coffee and start at the center of the wheel. As you become intimate with the coffee you’re sipping on, think about the broader flavors you are tasting. Is it earthy and nutty, floral and sweet? These general observations help you narrow down your search. As you continue to identify more flavors, you naturally move toward the edges of the wheel and get more specific with your descriptors. This wheel is meant to enable anyone to work their way into coffee tasting without a formal training. The most important thing anyone can do to understand and utilize the wheel is to taste coffee. Whether it’s your morning brew or a special visit to the coffee shop, give the flavors and aromas a moment of thought. Before long, you’ll be a natural at tasting coffee and understanding its flavor components. Check out the Counter Culture’s full Flavor Wheel and start tasting at HydrateMag.com. » Counter Culture Coffee’s tasting wheel for deciphering the complex flavors and aromas of coffee above a scattering of freshly roasted coffee beans. Illustration by Counter Culture Coffee | Photography by NordWood Themes
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Hydrate » April 2021 | The Coffee Issue
Mix It Up
THE MYSTERIOUS COFFEE CHERRY TAKING CAFÉ CULTURE BY STORM BY SARAH BAIRD Questions about just what this—relatively unheard of—ingredient tastes like have bubbled up in whispered conversations among coffee connoisseurs around the world. Cascara (also known as “coffee cherry”) is the ruddy-red dried husk that surrounds the coffee bean, and farmers have long tossed this fruity shell by the wayside, eager to get to the “seed” (read: coffee bean) within. Now, though, as roasters grow evermore savvy and ecoconscious, cascara and its subtle, fruity flavor has been increasingly on the minds and lips of coffee enthusiasts. Historically, tea fashioned from cascara is nothing new. The light, burgundy beverage has been a culinary staple in both Bolivia and Yemen for centuries, where cinnamonspiced versions are widely consumed as “poor man’s coffee.” In the United States, though, the product has only recently become more widely available, with stalwarts like Durham’s Counter Culture Coffee and Grand Rapid’s Madcap Coffee planting the seed of inspiration in enterprising baristas.
The three primary methods of cascara preparation allow the plant to demonstrate its prime abilities as a flavor contortionist. When prepared as a hot tea, the cascara is reminiscent of a plum compote, with extra sweetness emerging the longer it steeps. If cold brewed, a decidedly tamarind flavor emerges. As a soda, the cascara becomes almost floral and lip-puckering, with a citrus-tinged aftertaste. When it comes to form, cascara is a shape-shifting sleeper. There’s a feeling that we’ve only touched the hem of the garment in just how cascara can be used not only as a standalone drink, but as a complement to other flavors. As the line between coffee and cocktails continues to become increasingly porous, cascara syrups and tinctures could easily find a more permanent home on the back bar. » LEFT | Coffee farmer examines branches for ripe cascara fruit ready to be harvested. BELOW | Ripe cascara cherries whole and halved, exposing the seed or coffee bean. Photography by International Center for Tropical Agriculture
Cascara has a surprisingly versatile flavor profile, able to accentuate various nuances of its earthy, fruity taste depending solely on preparation style. Madcap’s sundried cascara, which comes from the West Valley of Costa Rica, has a cozy mouthfeel, with hints of raisin, fig and tobacco. Just like coffee, cascara’s point of harvest heavily influences its aroma and flavor.
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A little bit of science, A little bit of art...
Hydrate » April 2021 | The Coffee Issue
BY AMANDA B. JOHNSON & NANCY VIENNEAU Photography by Ashley Hubbard
n or about six hundred years ago, human character changed – or at least became more alert. It happened in Ethiopia, the land where coffee trees are naturally grounded. Legend has it a shepherd named Kaldi noticed the effect the trees’ beans had on his goats and, taking some of those beans to a local monastery, invented the first cafe. The monks (lacking laptops and headphones) chanted together instead, and well into the night. Poof – coffee culture was born. And it was good.
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oogle “coffee house Nashville” and the map on the screen erupts with more red dots than a first grader with chicken pox. The reason is that coffee is far more than just a stimulating drink; it is the liquid nucleus of a cultural institution. “Socially, it’s a unifier,” observes Jamie Cunningham of Steadfast Coffee. “Cultures throughout the world have coffee traditions and ceremonies that have developed over centuries into modern times.” But Nashville’s coffee choices were not always so rich. There was a time (and not that long ago) when a coffee break meant a spoonful of brown crystals stirred into a hot cup of water in a windowless break room. Today, our coffee choices are far more complex, making the drink more intimidating—even to those of us young and (presumably) in the know. Nashville’s coffee entrepreneurs, however, know the complexities of the bean—the growing, the sourcing, the grading, the brewing— and the hard work that the farmers put in to earn a living for their families. Today coffee is more than just a drink, it’s a way of life, and one that connects us to other cultures and traditions. And it’s quickly become the standard in Nashville.
When it all started
When he moved here from Chicago in 1988, Bob Bernstein quickly noticed a void. “When I was going to high school, I was driving to the next town over to visit the coffee house to read and write,” Bernstein said, “and in college I studied in coffee houses.” Bob saw the need for a casual hang-out or alternative workspace. In 1993, he opened Bongo Java on Belmont Boulevard. By 1996, the company started roasting their own coffee. Starbucks did not have a presence in Nashville at the time Bongo began. Although Bob was nervous about what the chain might do to his business when the Starbucks on 21st Avenue opened in the late 90’s, he sent them flowers. Bob laughs as he adds, “I got a call from one of my customers and he says, ‘Why did you send flowers to Starbucks?’ and I said, ‘Why were you at Starbucks!?’”
and, consequently, the coffee was a bit watered down. In 2009, Rob began roasting Just Love Coffee with altruistic motives; he started roasting and selling beans to raise support for an adoption, and now helps other families do the same through fundraising with Just Love Coffee. Fast forward to 2015; Nashville now has over 110 coffee shops (counting both independently and corporately owned coffee houses). Compare that to some neighboring cities: Memphis has over 45, Birmingham over 75, and Atlanta has over 100.
“Socially, it’s a unifier... cultures throughout the world have coffee traditions and ceremonies that have developed over centuries into modern times.”
Jamie Cunningham is one of the partners of Steadfast Coffee which opened in 2015. In regards to Nashville being seen as a “coffee city” he remarks, “Nashville wasn’t always known for good coffee. Its transition into a coffee city is due in part to some tenacious entrepreneurs who opened shops hell-bent on raising the standard of excellence in Nashville’s coffee industry.” Entrepreneurs like Bernstein, CREMA owners Rachel and Ben Lehman, the group at Steadfast, and so many more hardworking shop and roastery owners around town.
Jamie Cunningham of Steadfast Coffee.
Rob Webb of Just Love Coffee remembers his father delivering coffee to offices before Bongo Java. Rob’s father started Webb’s Coffee Service (now Webb’s Refreshments) in 1976, delivering coffees and refreshments to businesses in Middle Tennessee. Webb’s delivered pre-portioned packs of coffee to offices, including Vanderbilt’s campus, and began noticing a change in demand in the 1980s. As desire for coffee in offices was skyrocketing, preportioned packages of coffee for drip machines went from 3.5 ounces per pot in the 1970s to 0.8 ounces per pot in the 80’s; manufacturers changed the serving sizes to keep up with demand
Hydrate » April 2021 | The Coffee Issue
Nashville coffee has grown alongside the city. Nashville staples like Frothy Monkey, Eighth and Roast, The Well, and Barista Parlor not only have expanded to multiple locations, but are roasting their own beans as well, or have plans to in the near future.
Coffee is the new wine
As the number two traded commodity in the world, coffee is globally connected and internationally governed. When the CREMA staff discusses coffee, it all sounds very academic. Rachel Lehman explains that “specialty grade coffee is cupped and scored on a system that is set by the Coffee Quality Institute…and Coffees over an 80 score are considered specialty grade… It’s not a willy-nilly thing.” The coffee that is found at many (if not all) independent shops in Nashville is considered specialty grade coffee, whereas coffees you might find in grocery or convenience stores and chain restaurants may be considered “commodity coffee,” under an 80 score. We value our coffee so much that coffee “cuppings” are becoming more commonplace. A cupping is the practice of observing the tastes and aromas of brewed coffee—similar to a wine tasting, without the buzz. Frothy Monkey has weekly cuppings on Fridays, Revelator in Hillsboro Village offers a cupping every other Monday, and Honest Coffee Roasters on Sunday afternoons.
A global force
Grading scores help coffee farmers know where their coffees lie in international standards, and keep global coffee evaluation fair. The folks at CREMA buy based on direct relationships with the farmers or through trusted sources. That way, they can be sure farmers are getting a fair and accurate price for their work. In fact, CREMA likes to keep close ties with their producers by making routine
trips to visit farms they purchase from— CREMA staff get to share meals with farmers at their dining-room tables as well as learn more about coffee production at the farm level—and on occasion have coffee producers visit them in Nashville. Bongo Java Roasting Co. began purchasing coffee with the wellbeing of coffee producers in mind in the 90’s, and Steadfast also makes it a priority to purchase “relationship coffees” (as Steadfast and CREMA call them)—or as Bob says, “almost directly from small scale producers.” “I’ve been to big industrial coffee farms that produce great tasting coffee, but at what expense?” says Bernstein. From his travels, he saw that many workers on industrial coffee farms live similar to indentured servants. Rachel Lehman: “I fell in love with coffee for the hospitality, but as I get older it feels more and more to me like it’s important work on many levels.” Ben Lehman wants customers to understand that coffee is picked by hand. “When someone is upset about the price of something, I want to say someone as old as their mom hiked up over 1000 feet, and picked these cherries by hand and carried them on their back down a mountain. Then, it was processed very delicately and stored perfectly, shipped thousands of miles here, and then we roasted it, and then the person in front of you now prepared it,”
he passionately explains, then smiles and adds, “So... what was your thing about the price again?”
Shops that roast
Bob says he made the decision to start roasting in 1996 because “I thought it was something different to do... eventually it made economic sense to roast our own coffee, but at first it made absolutely no economic sense at all.” When CREMA owners Rachel and Ben Lehman moved to Nashville in 2003, the primary two local roasting companies were Bongo Java and Portland Brew. At the time CREMA began, lots of smaller places like CREMA used local roasters or roasters from outside the state for their specialty coffee. When CREMA opened in 2008, Rachel later decided that she wanted buying power over what coffees they were using and more control over the quality, and decided to start roasting in 2011. “Moving from small-batch roasting, you lose something,” says Lesa Wood about larger, more commercial roasting operations. Lesa, the owner and roaster at Eighth and Roast, began roasting in 2009. She roasts her coffee in smaller, controlled batches and also purchases her coffees based on relationships with producers. For Lesa—who runs Eighth and Roast’s roasting program down to the routine maintenance of her machines—roasting independently allows her to change it up quite a bit from coffee to coffee as “every coffee has its own recipe.” (continued on page 102)
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TRUE STORIES FROM
a festival of
coffee beer BY ROBERT WOLCHECK
In its seventh iteration as a festival (evolved from its more salon-like origins), this year’s edition of the Uppers and Downers coffee beer festival—from co-producers Michael Kiser of Good Beer Hunting and Stephen Morrissey of SCA—proved itself a juggernaut and staked a claim as one of the very best coffee beer festivals in the world right now. From the GBH agency’s design aesthetic, to the caliber of the roasters and brewers on offer, to the event’s handsome, historical venue, it’s a festival with something for everyone—provided you like coffee, beer, and the nexus between them.
ver two sessions spanning a caffeine and alcohol addled day, some 28 breweries poured more than 50 unique beers and ciders. Ales of all stripes were poured: wild, sour, stout, pale, brown, blonde, German, and Belgian. Some were big, boozy imperials, other were day-drinking friendly, low-alcohol-byvolume sour and session ales. There were opaque, coal-black stouts and transparent, golden ales. There really was something for everyone (unless you only drink pilsners, in which case hopefully being in the Pilsen neighborhood of Chicago would suffice).
Hydrate » April 2021 | The Coffee Issue
One of the highlights for coffee lovers was definitely the gauntlet of La Marzocco GS3s and Linea Minis provided by sponsor La Marzocco Home and helmed by reps from some of the best and most well-known roasters in the country. The Uppers on offer at this fest were truly a national affair, from Stumptown Coffee Roasters (based in Portland, coming soon to Chicago) through midwest stalwarts like PT’s Coffee Roasting Company, Intelligentsia Coffee, and Madcap Coffee Company, to bi-coastal Counter Culture Coffee, roasters large and small manned the event’s espresso row.
In addition to pulling espresso shots, sponsor Stumptown sent a crew to helm a cold brew bar where they showed off their new Sparkling Cold Brew cans alongside their more traditional chilled offerings. They were also pouring coffee and beer blends on site, including a spin on a traditional black and tan; where normally a nitro stout floats on a pour of a traditionally CO2-carbonated pale ale, Stumptown’s take saw them adding their nitro cold brew to a 3 Floyds Brewing Company Yum Yum session ale for a truly handsome drink.
longside smaller, local breweries with limited distribution were recognizable names like Firestone Walker Brewing Company and Perennial Artisan Ales. Those alone will get beer fans to take notice, but the biggest single beer nerd lure may be Goose Island’s storied Bourbon County Stout; the sponsoring brewery brought four years of coffee variants, three of which were offered in a special “vertical” tasting (same beer, three separate years): 2012, 2013, and 2014 poured next to each other for a comparison sherpa’d by Goose Island brewers. Judging by the line that snaked around the room for this, few attendees could pass up the chance to taste these beers that only serious collectors can get their hands on these days.
was also pulling shots of the latter in the first session. In the second session, frequent pairing partners Solemn Oath Brewery and Intelligentsia brought six different beers of various styles utilizing various Intelli-roasted beans. The hosts even suggested an off-menu treat: pairing of a fresh, cooled shot of their Peru Rayos del Sol added to a pour of the Wee-Bey del Sol (a bourbon barrel-aged scotch ale brewed with the same coffee).
Some were big, boozy imperials, other were day-drinkingfriendly, lowalcohol-byvolume sour & session ales.
Beyond just tasting with some occasional interaction, Uppers & Downers goes deeper with “Case Studies” of beer and coffee pairs. On hand were brewers and roasters to talk about the details of their pairings. In the first session, local neighbors Whiner Beer Company and Four Letter Word Coffee presented a tasting with two beers and two coffees; four total coffee beers allowing participants to sample the variations in combination. The beers were Soupe du Jour (a red wine barrelaged kettle sour saison) and Fur Coat (a Belgian dark ale); the coffees were a natural process Ethiopia Geisha Village/Geisha 1931 and a lactic-fermented Colombia La Palma y El Tucan SL-28. Four Letter Word
There was also the chance to taste a delicious Wake & Bake julep (made with Stumptown cold brew) courtesy of Dusek’s Chicago, winner of the Uppers & Downers prelude cocktail competition. A handsome rye and Fernet-based cocktail with cardamomroasted macadamia nuts and mint garnish, it managed to be refreshing and herbal without tasting medicinal.
And if all that weren’t enough, Sprudge and Good Beer Hunting partnered on an after-party of sorts—the next-day Hangover Party at the Good Beer Hunting studios in the Logan Square neighborhood of Chicago. Scratch biscuits and pecan pie from Bang Bang Pies, some bottled coffee beers to share, and of course aspirin, were on hand for the diehards and true aficionados who wanted a peek into the Good Beer Hunting office. ◊ illustrations by
Jacquelyn Valori
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EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO HAND CRAFT A FLAVORFUL CUP OF COFFEE LIKE A PRO
Jacquelyn Valori
BY KEISHA DUBOIS ARTWORK BY JACQUELYN VALORI
Hydrate » April 2021 | The Coffee Issue
HAS FITTINGLY, INSPIRED CRAZY INGENUITY IN VARIETY OF BREW METHODS.
PORTABLE & LIGHTWEIGHT,
THE AEROPRESS BREWS
INVENTED BY ALAN ADLER OF AEROBIE FRISBEE FAME,
THE AEROPRESS
A SWEET, FULL-BODIED CUP WHEREVER YOU ARE: AT HOME, CAMPING, OR ON A ROAD TRIP.
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eroPress’s unique use of air pressure & paper microfilters produces a coffee that is lower in acidity & bitterness than other brewing methods.
to continue steeping, produces bitterness. Not only this, but an uneven grind also allows fine grounds to pass through into the finished product, producing the unpleasant grittiness that can
it looks sort of reminiscent of a french press, but combined with the paper filter of a drip coffee maker
Jacquelyn Valori
The Aeropress differs from other coffee makers in a few key areas: conventional drip coffee makers tend to over-extract the beans where the hottest water contacts (at the top & the center of the grounds) & under-extract other areas (like the sides & bottom). It is the over-extraction that produces bitterness in the finished product. The Aeropress uses full immersion of the grounds, similar to a French Press; however, the French Press requires a coarse grind to be filtered, and thus requires a longer steeping time. Increasing the steeping time, or allowing the grounds
Hydrate » April 2021 | The Coffee Issue
be found in a French Press cup, and which will become overextracted as you drink. There are a few key variables that change the taste of the finished product. The Aeropress easily allows you to modify these variables, where other conventional brewing methods do not. By varying the water temperature, steeping time & grounds-to-water ratio, & using a microfilter to produce a pure and grit free product, you’re left with a truly delicious cup of coffee that is crafted to exactly suit your tastes.
Measure & Grind
Measure & grind 17g of coffee. Use one rounded AeroPress spoonful or about 2 ½ tablespoons of roasted beans. Grind the coffee about as fine as table salt.
Prep the AeroPress
Get ready to brew by placing the filter in the basket. Next, preheat the brewer & rinse the filter with hot water. This gets rid of any paper flavor & warms everything up. Heat up your mug too while you’re at it.
Add coffee
Discard the rinse water from your mug. Affix the basket to the bottom of the brew chamber & place it on top of the mug. If it’s handy, use the funnel that comes with the AeroPress to add 17g of coffee. Then, remove the funnel.
Growing conditions & economic factors vary greatly across the planet so it’s no surprise that coffee grown in one country will be different from the next. CENTRAL AMERICAN COFFEE
might be your thing if you are looking for clean, smooth sweetness, tart & bright flavor with a fruity acidity
SOUTH AMERICAN COFFEE
is known for being mild & light, more sweet, less acidic, with a creamy, chocolatey quality, & a nutty character
AFRICAN COFFEE
is often called complex with its fruity & floral notes, stronge, full-bodied flavor & fragrant-rich quality
Add water
Stir & Steep
Once you hit the 4, stir the “slurry” (coffee & water mixture) & place the plunger on the brew chamber & pull up slightly to create a pressure seal. Don’t plunge yet!
Stir & Plunge
At 1:15, remove the pressure seal & give the slurry another stir with a spoon or paddle. Put the plunger back on & gently press down with steady pressure, stopping as soon as you hear a hissing sound.
ASIAN COFFEE
this entire brew process should take just under two minutes & yield seven to eight ounces of coffee.<
Start your timer when you pour hot water (just off the boil or about 205°F) into your brewer. Saturate all the grounds within 10 seconds. Pour to the No. 4. Spin the chamber, making sure all the coffee is saturated.
might be for you if you prefer heavy body that is dark & earthy, luscious & syrupy with herbal & savory flavors
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THE BEST COFFEE COMES FROM THE BEST GROWING CLIMATE BY OLIVER STRAIT
GUATEMALA Sweet, tart aroma, lightly fruity flavor. Light body and clean finish.
HONDURAS
Sweet molasses aroma and flavor. Full body and lingering sweet finish.
COLUMBIA
BRAZIL
Nutty aroma, caramel flavor. Medium body and heavy finish.
Slightly spicy, nutty aroma, nutty base, caramel notes. Full body, clean finish.
PERU
Bright, fruity aroma. Lightly fruity flavor with a clean finish.
HERE’S WHERE IT ALL STARTS! In order to get your morning pick-me-up the process has to begin with putting a seed in the ground! Coffee grows most prevalently in the latitudes between the Tropic of Capricorn and the Tropic of Cancer. This area has ideal climate for growing beans and is often referred to as the “bean belt”. Two popular beans of coffee make up most of the coffee selection we know today. Arabic coffee matures in 7 to 9 months and produces large and round cherries. Robusta coffee typically matures in 11 months and produces a smaller, oval shaped cherry. It can take 4 years for a coffee tree or bush to mature to the point of producing fruit. » A vibrant watercolor rendering shows the coffee bean belt region. Artwork by WonderWall
Hydrate » April 2021 | The Coffee Issue
Around The World
PAPUA NEW GUINEA SUMATRA ETHIOPIA
Rich blueberry aroma, cocoa and spice flavor. Medium body and clean finish.
Semi-sweet chocolate aroma, cocoa flavor with hints of cherry. Medium body, quick finish.
Aroma of dried fruits and nuts. Full syrupy body, deeply sweet finish.
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Get Snacking
CLASSIC COFFEE-FOOD PAIRINGS AT HOME OR OUT ON THE TOWN BY LINDSEY GOODWIN FRUIT PAIRINGS Fresh fruits and fruit-based sweets can offer a lighter, healthier pairing option for some coffees. Just be careful not to overdo sour tones in your pairing selections.
BERRIES Kenyan and Haitian coffees are great with any kind of berries. Yemeni and Jamaican coffees are even better with blueberries. STONEFRUITS (peaches, plums and apricots) Fresh or baked into sweets, stonefruits are delicious with Tanzanian and Haitian coffees. TARTS Fruit tarts are exceptional with medium-to-dark roast Brazilians and Costa Ricans. BREAKFAST FOOD PAIRINGS The light, balanced flavor of most Central American coffees is ideal for many breakfast foods, but here are a few breakfast coffee pairings that go beyond the basics.
CREPES Pair savory crepes (those with ingredients like vegetables, herbs, cheese and meats) with bold Pacific Island coffees. Pair Nutella or chocolate crepes with Colombian coffee. Berry crepes are great with Kenyan or Haitian coffees. They’re all also easily paired with espresso and espresso-based drinks. OMELETS Java, Sumatra and Indonesian coffee can handle the full flavors of savory omelets. QUICHE The full, savory flavors of many Pacific Island coffees is great with quiche. CINNAMON BUNS The caramel and chocolate notes in Colombian and Guatemalan coffees are a natural fit for cinnamon buns. SCONES They’re not just for tea! Fruit scones are great with winey coffees from Yemen, Kenya and Haiti. Unflavored scones are good with Costa Ricans and maple raisin scones are perfect for Kona or Nicaraguan coffee. Citrus scones are great with Mexican and Ethiopian coffees. » Decadent cranberry ricotta scones combine the perfect amounts of tart and sweet to be enjoyed with a fresh cup of Kenyan coffee. Photograph by Angie Wright
Hydrate » April 2021 | The Coffee Issue
F O R
Hydrate » April 2021 | The Coffee Issue
E D U C AT I ONA L
P U R P O S E S
ON LY